Memory systems may be configured to store data in different areas of a memory according to different storage densities, or number of bits per cell. Single-level cells (SLC) may be configured to store one bit per cell, and multiple-level cells (MLC) may be configured to store multiple bits per cell. When a memory system receives data from a host system, the data may be initially stored in a memory area designated for SLC data storage. After a certain period of time has elapsed, the memory system may determine to move the data to a different memory area designated for MLC data storage. This process of moving data from an SLC memory area to a MLC memory area may be referred to as a folding operation.
In addition, memory systems utilize address data structures to identify where data is being stored in the memory. For a given data set that is folded to the MLC memory area, a memory system may make at least two updates to an address data structure that is associated with the folded data set—a first update to identify where in the SLC memory area the data set is stored, and a second update to identify where in the MLC memory area the data set is stored. Further, since a certain time period elapses before data is folded to the MLC memory area, a relatively large amount of storage capacity may be designated for the SLC memory area to ensure that there is a sufficient amount of SLC storage for data to be initially stored. Ways to fold data from an SLC memory area to an MLC area that allow for a single update to the address data structure and that reduces the size of the SLC storage area may be desirable.